1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a signal recording apparatus and, more particularly, to a signal recording apparatus of the type utilizing a tape-shaped recording medium and having the function of returning the tape-shaped recording medium to a vicinity of a position where the tape-shaped recording medium was located in a past recording pause state.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, video movie cameras (camcorders) of the type in which a video tape recorder (VTR) is integrated with a video camera have become popular, and many users have enjoyed video recording using such video movie cameras. During video recording, if a scene that is not desirable or intended is recorded, some of the users may desire to replace the unwanted scene with a new scene by rerecording. If a user is to perform this rerecording by means of conventional video equipment, he/she needs to perform the operation of returning a tape to an immediately previous recording end point while looking into a viewfinder or viewing a monitor screen, by using a particular function of a video tape recorder (VTR), such as reproduction (PLAY), search (CUE), rewind (REW) or fast forward (FF).
However, such an operation is extremely time-consuming, and it is virtually impossible for ordinary users to perform the operation at any time in any place. Nevertheless, under ordinary recording conditions, it is impossible to avoid the problem that a scene other than a desired scene is recorded.
In the field of video tape recorders (VTRs), U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,388 discloses an arrangement inclusive of the function of returning a tape to a past recording pause position whereby an ordinary user can easily perform rerecording. Such arrangement is in practice.
The function of the disclosed art will be described below in brief. In general, the arrangement of a recording apparatus such as a VTR is such that if a trigger switch is operated during a recording pause state, the apparatus proceeds from the recording pause state to a recording state, and if the trigger switch is again operated during the recording state, the apparatus returns to the recording pause state. In such an arrangement, the function of the disclosed art operates so that if a rerecording instruction is executed during the recording pause state, the tape is rewound to a position where it was located during an initial recording pause state. This function will be hereinafter referred to as a "recording cut function".
According to another known art, it is also possible to rewind the tape to the position where it was located during the aforesaid initial recording pause state, by executing a rerecording instruction during a recording state immediately after the initial recording pause state.
However, the given example does not consider what is called "tag recording" and its accuracy is not sufficient.
An additional problem is that it is undesirable to allow the above-described function to continue to operate for a long time after recording since the tape may be rewound in an excessively large amount due to an erroneous operation by an operator or the tape may be rewound to a long previous position which the operator is unable to recall.